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(Pocket-lint) - The past of flip phones is extensive, dating backmost astir 2 decades erstwhile Motorola launched its iconic Razr V3 successful 2004. Since past the institution has capitalised connected that classical plan with a reimagined folding-screen version, which arrived 15 years later, successful 2019.
In the abbreviated play since past there's been immoderate contention looking to summation connected Motorola's weaknesses, with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip a wide contender. The latest iteration of which, the Z Flip 3, is the archetypal foldable to connection certified waterproofing, portion upping the ante erstwhile it comes to the surface tech.
Amping up its entreaty further, the Z Flip 3 is cheaper than its predecessor - although, let's beryllium clear, starting astatine £949/€1049 it's thing but fund - positioning itself astir the aforesaid terms ballpark arsenic different 'normal' flagships. Is this the moment, then, for flip phones to go normalised for the mundane owner?
What's new?
- IPX8 water-resistance - archetypal ever for a foldable device
- Larger and higher solution beforehand screen
- More colour variants
- Lower asking price
If you've ever seen the archetypal Z Flip successful the chaotic - link to our reappraisal and pictures here - past the Z Flip 3's astir evident displacement successful plan is the summation of a overmuch larger surface to the front, flanking a redesigned dual camera statement that's a batch much successful tune with Samsung's 2021 Galaxy designs.
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There's besides a clump much colour variants - it's conscionable the Phantom Black 1 connected show present - to adhd to the diversity, portion the IPX8 standing means that, though not dust-resistant, the telephone tin beryllium submerged successful h2o much than a metre successful extent for longer than fractional an hour.
It's decently waterproof, should you driblet it successful the incorrect spot - though if that's a puddle implicit immoderate factual then, well, this dual-screener whitethorn good smash to bits, contempt its usage of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus connected the front.
Design & Displays
- Unfolded display: 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 2640 x 1080 resolution, 120Hz dynamic refresh
- Front display: 1.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 260 x 512 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
- Colours: Cream, Green, Lavender, Phantom Black, Gray, White, Pink
- Dimensions (folded): 72.2 x 86.4 x 17.1mm / Weight: 183g
- Dimensions (unfolded): 128.1mm x 166 x 6.9mm
- Frame: Armor Aluminum
Unlike the Z Fold 3 - work our afloat preview here - which is much astir being existent telephone signifier successful folded position, and 'mega phone' (almost to tablet proportions) successful its 7.5-inch unfastened format, the Z Flip 3 is much similar a watch-and-phone successful one: the beforehand surface is determination for at-a-glance notifications and speedy interactions; the main screen, astatine 6.7-inch connected the diagonal, is akin to a modular flagship phone. It's 1 tasty tech sandwich.
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But arsenic it is, indeed, a sandwich format oregon clamshell design, you've efficaciously got a doubled-up acceptable of screens, which makes the Z Flip 3 chunky - astatine 17.1mm successful its folded form. Open it up, however, and different than the cardinal hinge there's not a immense magnitude to distract from a emblematic telephone format. Plus opening and closing it is kinda addictive, you'll extremity up doing it a batch for the unusual restitution it provides.
There are immoderate caveats though: arsenic this is simply a folding display, it's integrative coated, meaning its reflective and prone to 'creases' crossed the fold line. No surprises, though, arsenic this is modular crossed immoderate folding instrumentality from immoderate shaper - and is 1 of those concessions that has to presently beryllium made if you're successful the marketplace for a folding device.
Whether the Z Flip 3's plan format volition enactment for you is going to beryllium connected however you usage your telephone too. That tiny surface to the beforehand whitethorn beryllium thing but a distraction model for some, portion those who often enactment with aggregate devices whitethorn find it a refreshing mode to grip incoming notifications - a spot similar an alternate to a smartwatch, really.
One happening we're a small amazed by successful the Z Flip 3 is that there's nary nether sheet camera (UPC) for the unfolded main screen. That's odd, arsenic Samsung has managed to compression that plan payment into the Z Fold 3, which launches alongside this device. Having the punch-hole present isn't a full deal-breaker, of course, but we'd presume the 'Flip 4' volition propulsion this diagnostic travel 2022.
Still, it's a perfectly bully screen, 1 that volition beryllium acquainted to immoderate Z Flip 5G users - due to the fact that it's much oregon little the same. Although Samsung hasn't seen it acceptable to propulsion the size oregon solution here, the sheet is present 120Hz susceptible - meaning an adaptive refresh complaint that's up to treble the velocity of its predecessor, to assistance creaseless retired that ocular experience.
That beforehand surface is peculiarly worthy of attention, too, arsenic it's acold larger than the earlier model. Sure, 1.9-inch sounds tiny for a surface connected immoderate phone, but that's a full batch bigger than the 1.1-inch sheet of its predecessor.
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The tiny surface is besides overmuch amended integrated into the design: arsenic that full conception of the telephone is raised and glossy, you can't truly spot the surface astatine each erstwhile it's not active. Double-tap it, however, and it'll amusement your latest notifications successful an instant, earlier fading down to disconnected if you don't proceed to interact. It's a slick looking implementation.
Performance
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB RAM
- 128/256GB retention options (UFS 3.1)
- 3300mAh artillery capacity
At this aboriginal signifier it's ever tricky to connection a existent practice of a phone's performance, due to the fact that we've not had overmuch clip to play with the Z Flip 3 - we sampled 1 astatine Samsung KX, the Korean company's awesome showroom astatine London's King's Cross - and surely haven't lived with it arsenic our ain conscionable yet.
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What we tin guarantee you, however, is that it's massively powerful, functions bully and smoothly, and the top-tier Snapdragon 888 processor nether the hood is served with 8GB RAM to guarantee everything keeps ticking along.
Whether that processor volition origin the artillery excessive problems is simply a lingering question though, arsenic the 3,300mAh compartment present isn't particularly ample - it matches that recovered successful its predecessor - and we recovered that earlier Z Flip ran down alternatively rapidly and required aboriginal evening top-ups to debar it moving retired altogether successful a azygous day.
Cameras
- Dual rear cameras:
- Main: 12-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, Dual Pixel autofocus, optical stabilisation (OIS)
- Wide-angle (0.5x): 12MP, f/2.2
- Front camera: 10MP, f/2.4
Given the constricted aboveground country of a clamshell design, there's not stacks of country for each mode of cameras to beryllium scattered crossed the Z Flip 3's body. But that's a bully thing. Samsung hasn't littered this instrumentality with junk lenses, alternatively focusing connected what matters: a main and wide-angle camera duo. So inactive nary zoom, but we're definite you tin unrecorded without that.
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Many had hoped that the Z Flip 3 would importantly propulsion guardant successful the cameras department, though, but what you find successful present is simply a reflection of its predecessor: the 12-megapixel sensors are 1 and the same.
The large displacement is successful the camera housing's design. It looks overmuch neater and tidier, the lenses overmuch larger, arranged successful that raised glossy conception successful a overmuch much people flowing plan format. Still, we'd similar to person seen immoderate higher-resolution offerings successful the premix this clip around, to enactment the Flip up determination with Samsung's precise best.
First Impressions
Although the Z Flip 3 isn't a elephantine leap guardant compared to its predecessor, it's a overmuch much fluidly designed instrumentality - and the champion flip telephone we've seen to day (sorry Moto Razr).
Although it's inactive pricey, it's a batch much affordable than its predecessor was astatine launch, closing successful connected that all-important triple-figure starting price, placing it successful the aforesaid ballpark arsenic different 'normal' flagship devices. That's a large measurement successful making specified foldable surface exertion much accessible.
Whether that's capable to truly lure punters in, however, is different matter, arsenic the Z Flip 3 has a reasonably tiny artillery capacity, the surface inactive suffers reflections fixed its integrative coating, portion simply not each volition privation oregon spot the payment of a dual-screen device.
For those who bash admit the beforehand surface - which is beautifully integrated into the plan this clip astir - the Z Flip 3 is simply a telephone imaginable similar fewer others. It'll surely crook heads, but it mightiness not rather crook everyone's minds astir conscionable yet.
Writing by Mike Lowe. Originally published connected 11 August 2021.
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